339 Law and Literature

This course concentrates on possible relationships between law and literature. The major themes will be the depiction of law and lawyers in popular and highbrow fiction; the relationship between the interpretation of legal and literary texts; law in utopia and dystopia; crime, punishment and racial justice and the romantic conception of authorship. Fair warning: the course involves considerable reading – but almost all of it consists of works of fiction. For the final exam, which you will have 2 weeks to complete, you will be given a list of very broad essay topics brought up by the books we have read, and will write 2, 2000 word essays on the topics of your choice.

Course Areas of Practice
Law, Democracy, and Society
Degree Requirements
JD elective
IntlLLM/SJD/EXC elective
Course Type
Lecture
Learning Outcomes
Legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, problem-solving, and written and oral communication in the legal context
Syllabi
2020
Fall 2020
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor Meeting Day/Times Room

339.01 3 James Boyle M/W 4:00 PM-5:25 PM

This course concentrates on possible relationships between law and literature. The major themes will be the depiction of law and lawyers in popular and highbrow fiction; the relationship between the interpretation of legal and literary texts; law in utopia and dystopia; crime, punishment and racial justice and the romantic conception of authorship. Fair warning: the course involves considerable reading – but almost all of it consists of works of fiction. For the final exam, which you will have 2 weeks to complete, you will be given a list of very broad essay topics brought up by the books we have read, and will write 2, 2000 word essays on the topics of your choice.

Degree Requirements
Pre/Co-requisites
None
Enrollment Restrictions
None
2019
Spring 2019
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor Meeting Day/Times Room

339.01 3 James Boyle M/W 2:00-3:25 PM 4055

This course concentrates on possible relationships between law and literature. The major themes will be depiction of law and lawyers in popular and highbrow fiction; relationship between the interpretation of legal and literary texts; law in utopia and dystopia; crime and punishment; romantic conception of authorship in copyright, interpretation, and social theory. The course involves considerable reading, including works from some of the major academic debates in the ''law and literature movement'' and from cognate debates in legal interpretation.

Degree Requirements
Pre/Co-requisites
None
Enrollment Restrictions
None
2017
Spring 2017
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor Meeting Day/Times Room

339.01 3 James Boyle M/W M 2:00-3:20 PM/ W 1:45-3:05 PM 4000

This course concentrates on possible relationships between law and literature. The major themes will be depiction of law and lawyers in popular and highbrow fiction; relationship between the interpretation of legal and literary texts; law in utopia and dystopia; crime and punishment; romantic conception of authorship in copyright, interpretation, and social theory. The course involves considerable reading, including works from some of the major academic debates in the ''law and literature movement'' and from cognate debates in legal interpretation.

Syllabus: PDF icon 339.01.Spring2017-syllabus.pdf

Degree Requirements
Pre/Co-requisites
None
Enrollment Restrictions
None
2016
Spring 2016
Course Number Course Credits Evaluation Method Instructor Meeting Day/Times Room

339.01 3 James Boyle TuTh 11:00-12:20 PM 3000

This course concentrates on possible relationships between law and literature. The major themes will be depiction of law and lawyers in popular and highbrow fiction; relationship between the interpretation of legal and literary texts; law in utopia and dystopia; crime and punishment; romantic conception of authorship in copyright, interpretation, and social theory. The course involves considerable reading, including works from some of the major academic debates in the ''law and literature movement'' and from cognate debates in legal interpretation.

Degree Requirements
Pre/Co-requisites
None
Enrollment Restrictions
None

*Please note that this information is for planning purposes only, and should not be relied upon for the schedule for a given semester. Faculty leaves and sabbaticals, as well as other curriculum considerations, will sometimes affect when a course may be offered.